Natural Cold and Flu Remedies -Be Cured

Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

It's no wonder these kinds of treatments are popular -- we still have no cure for colds or the flu. While the flu vaccine may prevent the flu, and some prescription medications may shorten its symptoms, most conventional medications just ease symptoms. Many natural remedies can give you short-term relief as well, and a few may help you get better. 

The common cold,  a type of upper respiratory infection (URI),  is the most frequent infection a person will encounter in their lifetime.  It is estimated that there are more than 220 different cold viruses which infect humans. After exposure, it normally takes one to three days for illness to start, and the duration of a cold is usually seven days, but in some cases can last several weeks. The same virus never infects the same person twice, and while there is no cure for the common cold, there are ways to prevent infection.

More dangerous than a cold is the Influenza virus, also known as The Flu.  The Flu affects millions of people worldwide annually.  Sometimes the flu can result in death in high-risk individuals (i.e. diabetics,  those with lung disease, senior citizens and cancer patients).  Death is usually the result of a secondary bacterial infection such as pneumonia,  which can occur due to one’s immune system having been weakened.

Take Prevention from Starting

Prevention is truly the best medicine, and this is especially true when it comes to the common cold and flu.  There are ways to help keep your body strong, so you can try to resist infection:

Hand washing – Frequent handwashing with antibacterial soap and warm to hot water is the most effective way to prevent the spread of a viral illness. In addition, avoiding rubbing your eyes and nose is crucial. A quality hand sanitizer should also be kept nearby.

Diet – Consume a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables that vary in color. This provides antioxidants, which protect the body and prepare the immune system against viruses and bacteria.

Avoid sick contacts – If possible, avoid being in the presence of sick people.  If you are, ensure there is adequate fresh air in order to dilute the number of germs in the air to which you are being exposed.

Cough into elbow – When ill, cough into your sleeve or elbow instead of coughing and sneezing into your hand.  Remind others who are ill in your presence to do the same.

Get Sleep – Adequate sleep is required to keep the immune system strong.  A 2016 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association  showed sleeping fewer than 6 hours a  night increases the risk of contracting a cold.

Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

Vitamin C tablets and an Orange

Its cold-fighting powers remain uncertain. Some research suggests it can cut cold symptoms short by about a day, but an analysis of multiple studies showed that only people on daily vitamin C at minimum doses of 200 mg each day who were under extreme physical stress were significantly less likely to get a cold. Taking vitamin C only after the start of symptoms has not been shown to be helpful.

Echinacea

This herbal supplement may boost your immune system and help fight infections. But it’s unclear whether that helps you fight off colds. Most evidence shows echinacea doesn’t help prevent a cold, but some research found it shortens symptoms by a day or two. Other studies say it has no effect. To try it, take it when you start to feel bad and continue for 7 to 10 days.

Zinc Lorenges

Some studies show it helps fight viruses, like the cold. They say the mineral stops certain proteins from forming before cold viruses can use them to reproduce. While zinc doesn’t appear to prevent colds, it may help shorten their length and lessen the severity if you take it within 24 hours of the first symptoms. You should continue to take zinc for five days. The FDA says not to use zinc nasal products for colds -- some people say they had a permanent loss of smell.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup may help cold symptoms in more than one way. Inhaling the steam can ease a stuffy nose. Sipping spoonfuls of Chicken Soup can help replace the fluids you lose. The warm, salty broth can alleviate sore throats.

Vitamin D

Low levels of vitamin D,  most common during the winter, have been shown to be associated with increased risk for contracting a cold or influenza infection. Optimizing vitamin D intake and sunlight exposure may be a good way to help prevent infection.  Suggested dose: Vitamin D 2,000 to 5,000 IU daily.

Hot Tea

It offers some of the same perks as chicken soup. Breathing in the steam relieves congestion, while swallowing the fluid soothes your throat and keeps you hydrated. Black and green teas have the added bonus of being loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants, which may stave off colds, as well.

Hot Toddy

This adult drink is an age-old nighttime cold remedy. Since you won't want to drink black tea and all that caffeine before bed, make a cup of hot herbal tea. Add a teaspoon of honey, a small shot of whiskey or bourbon, and a squeeze of lemon. This mixture may ease congestion, soothe your throat, alleviate your cough, and help you sleep. Limit yourself to one -- too much alcohol can keep you awake.

Garlic

It's long been known as a germ fighter. And one study showed garlic supplements may help prevent colds when taken daily. But more research needs to be done to figure out its real effects. It does have nutrients, and in food form it can also help spice up your meals when a stuffy nose makes everything taste bland.

Steam/Humidifier

Breathing in steam can break up congestion in your nose, offering relief when it’s stuffy or runny. You can get a heavy dose from a room humidifier, fill a bowl with hot water and lean over it with a towel over your head, or simply sit in the bathroom with the door shut and a hot shower running.

Saline Irrigation

Dripping or spraying saltwater into your nose can thin out the gunk and help you get rid of it. That makes you less stuffy. You can try over-the-counter nasal saline washes, or make your own. If you make your own, use water that's contaminant-free. It could be distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered using a filter with an absolute pore size of 1 micron or less. Mix 8 ounces of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Use a bulb syringe to squirt the liquid into one nostril while you hold the other one closed. Repeat 2-3 times and then do the other side. After you're done, be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use with contaminant-free water, and let it air-dry.

Neti Pot

You can use the same saline solution in this gadget. It lets you flush out your nasal passages with a saltwater solution. The result is thinner mucus that drains more easily. Research suggests Neti pots can ease symptoms like congestion, pressure, and facial pain, particularly in people with ongoing (chronic) sinus troubles. The Neti solution also comes in a bottle with a nozzle that goes in your nose and generates the force to flush your sinuses.

Nasal Strips

You wear these strips of tape on the bridge of your nose to open the nasal passages. While they can't get rid of the stuffiness, they do create more space for airflow. That can help relieve nighttime congestion.

Menthol Ointment

Days of wiping and blowing your nose can leave the skin around your nostrils sore and irritated. A simple remedy is to dab a menthol-infused ointment under (but not in) your nose, or on your chest or throat. The menthol vapors relieve a cough and open clogged passages, which eases your congestion. But don’t use it on raw skin and don’t give it to children under age 2.

Saltwater Gargle

This may help your sore throat by decreasing throat swelling and rinsing out irritants and germs. Gargle warm water with a teaspoon of salt four times daily to keep a scratchy throat moist.

Bed Rest

Who has time to spend a day or two under the covers? But when you get plenty of rest, your body can direct more energy to fighting off germs. Staying warm is also important, so tuck yourself in and give your immune system a leg up.

Infections with a pathogenic virus can cause things from the common cold to deadly influenza.  To date, there is no cure for these infections. However, there are measures which can be taken to prevent infection, reduce symptoms and strengthen the immune system.  Some of these medications are pharmaceutically developed while others are herbal supplements that have been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Holistic Health Practitioners and now people, all over the world.  Those seeking more natural ways to care for an illness are rediscovering the wisdom of our ancestors. No matter what route you take, if your respiratory symptoms do not improve over a few days, seek the service of a qualified healthcare professional to make sure a more serious infection is not present. Live righteously and be well!

WE WISH YOU A GOOD HEALTH